Door protector



Jan. 10, 1961 J. METZINGER 2,967,333

DOOR PROTECTOR 28 Julian Me/z/hger INVENTOR. 30 9 34 BY flaw/@512 Jan. 10, 1961 J. METZINGER DOOR PROTECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1959 Fig. 5

Fig. 6

m a r R w w. m M x .m m A N 1V4 6 .U 9 5 m 1 H n .0 m h w n u M 8 J 2 w United States Patent DOOR PROTECTOR Julian Metzinger, 2855 SW. 1st Ave., Miami, Fla.

Filed Mar. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 798,073

3 Claims. (Cl. 20-16) This invention relates generally to means for protecting doors and more particularly to an attachment adapted to be affixed to the bottom portion of wooden doors to prevent injury thereto or rotting thereof.

Many utilizations of wooden doors require that the doors be exposed to effects which are detrimental thereto. For example, doors are often positioned in places where they are frequently contacted by water or other liquids and accordingly the wood tends to rot and often the rotting continues to such an extent that the door becomes useless for the intended purpose. Even when doors are protected from detrimental effects as water, they are, of course, often exposed to physical elements which may permanently mar or damage the door. The prior art reveals a multitude of devices for protecting doors from various abuses. The various teachings of the prior art are well known to the applicant and briefly, they often include specially constructed doors or simple plates fastened to conventional doors. These devices, of course, function appropriately to an extent and do achieve their intended objects satisfactorily. Herein, however, the applicant teaches the construction and utilization of novel means for protecting doors to prevent the same from rotting or being physically marred or damaged by, for instance, kicking or collision. Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide means for protectng doors from rotting or physical injury.

It is a further object of this invention to provide novel means for protecting doors which is simple in construction, and capable of easy installation on conventional door structures.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide novel means for the protection of doors wherein the means may be inexpensively manufactured and installed while being extremely efficient and reliable to prevent rotting and injury to the door structure.

In accordance with the above stated objects, below is particularly described the novel construction and utilization of the door protector comprising the invention and forming the subject matter of this application. In consideration of the well known adage that, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, the applicant has provided for a door protector including a pair of substantially L-shaped members, each defining longer and shorter legs. One of the pair of L-shaped members is provided with a shorter leg having an offset portion. In utilizing the door protector with a conventional door, the vertical longer legs of the L-shaped members are fastened adjacent the door faces with the shorter legs underlying the bottom door surface. The shorter legs overlie one another beneath the door adjacent the bottom surface and the offset portion on the shorter leg of one L-shaped member allows for the accommodation of the shorter leg of the other L-shaped member whereby a flush bottom surface is formed. It is contemplated that the L-shaped members he formed of a light metal as aluminum with the fastening means simply comprising wood screws. In order to particularly prevent rotting of the door caused by excessive moisture, the applicant provides seal means between the L-shaped members and the door. The seal means are disclosed below as comprising any of several embodiments. Broadly, it is contemplated that mastic may be placed on the inner side of the L-shaped members so that the gummy substance protects the wooden bottom portion of the door from water. A second broad teaching utilizes a neoprene coating for the seal member. A particularly novel construction of the neoprene coating includes a slotted portion which is adapted to receive the offset short leg of one of the L-shaped members. A further precaution intro duced in the invention to prevent water from affecting the door, includes the novel concept of crimping the upper terminal portions of the longer vertical legs of the L-shaped members so as to aid in the general accomplishment of the objects of the invention.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a door incorporating the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view illustrating the two substantially L-shaped members forming a portion of the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective fragmentary view of one of the L-shaped members forming a portion of the invention;

Figure 4 is an end sectional view of the door illustrating a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a sprayed L-shaped member;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a second embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary end sectional view illustrating a third embodiment of the invention.

With continuing reference to the drawings and initial reference to Figure l, the numeral 10 represents a conventional wooden door structure and includes, as illustrated for example in Figure 4, door faces 12 and 14 and a bottom door surface 16. Though Figure l illustrates the door 10 having recessed sections 18 in the faces thereof, it will of course be appreciated that the teachings of this invention are well adapted to utilization with any type of door construction.

The invention includes the utilization of a first L-shaped member 20 and a second L-shaped member 22. The initial member 20 includes a vertical longer leg 24 and a horizontal shorter leg 26. The shorter leg includes an offset portion 28 which is separated from the remainder of the shorter leg 26 by a shoulder 30. The second member 22 includes a vertical longer leg 32 and a horizontal shorter leg 34 extending perpendicularly from the legs 32. Each of the vertical longer legs 24 and 32 include apertures as at 36 for accommodating wood screws 38 to fasten the members 20 and 22 to the door 10 in a manner such that the vertical longer legs 24 and 32 are retained adjacent the faces 12 and 14 while the shorter horizontal legs 26 and 34 underlie the bottom surface 16 of the door 10. As is illustrated in any of Figures 4, 6 and 7, the shorter leg 34 is adapted to be accommodated under the offset portion 28 of the shorter leg 26 of the initial L-shaped member 20. It is particularly to be noted that the invention may be utilized with doors of varying thickness inasmuch as the members 20 and 22 may be easily and efficiently moved closer together or spread further apart to accommodate the varying thicknesses. In any event, it will be noted that due to the offset portion 28 and the shoulder 30, the bottom surface formed by the shorter legs 26 and 34 comprises a straight line.

In the initial embodiment of the invention, as is illustratedrin-Figures' l and 5, mastic itiis placed onto the inner :surface of-thememberssw and 22 so'that-aseal is formedto prevent water from rotting the bottom portion "of :the door It). :It will .be ;particular'ly noted in 4FiguT6 4 that the masticiti'is accommodated completely insthe volume between the memberslthand 22 and the door-110 so that no voidscorspaces are formed therebetween. .The. wood screws 38, of course, pass directly .through the mastic 'tl so as Itosecure the members 20 and 22 to the doorxlfi. The mastiomay'be either :sprayed ordispensed froma tube but .inanyevent, it is contemplated that the mastic besplaced onthemembers 2t and 22 prior'to fastening them to therdoor It). As a further precaution to prevent water fromcenter-ing the space between the door and the members and 22, the upper terminal portions 42 and 44 of the vertical longer legs .24 and32 may be crinrped asis illustrated in Figures 4, 6 and 7.

In the embodiments illustrated in Figures '6 and 7, -a neoprene coating is utilized in lieu of the sprayed mastic '40 illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. Initially referring to Figure 6, it will be noted that neoprene strips 46 and 43 are positioned adjacent the longer legs 24 and 32 and are preferably retained thereon by adhesive means. It

will further be noted that the stripsof neoprene 46 and 48are positioned below thecrirnps 44 and42. In the utilization of the device, when the wood screws 38 are driven into the door It), the crimped upper terminal portions 44 and 42 are urged toward the door .faces '14 and 12 so as to bear against the door faces to prevent entrance of water therebetween. Further, a bottom strip of neoprene 5t underlies the bottom doorsurface 16 above .the' offset portion 28 of shorter legZd of member zlnthe renibodimentofiigure 7, the'neoprene strip 53 is abandoned in favor of a slotted neoprenemember'SZ which accommodates 'therebetween the offset portion 23 of the shorter leg 26of the member 2%. it Will be noted in Figure 7 thatthe slotted neoprene .member 52 includes a longer leg 54 and a shorter leg56 connected by a bight portion 58. This latter embodiment obviously is more effective to prevent water :seepage to the door It) but, however, itis'apparent that the cost. of manufacture there- 'of would be slightly moreexpensive.

'It is to be noted that though the invention has been disclosed principallyfor the purpose of protecting doors, the device may be utilized to repair already damaged doors if they have not been ruined to an excessive extent. It is further to be noted that seal means or gaskets utilizing materials other than that herein disclosed may be employed.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all'suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as'follows:

'1. In combination with a door defining a pair of faces and'top and bottom surfaces, means for protecting the Further, since numerous bottom portion thereof to prevent injury or rotting comprising a first member, a second member, said first and second members being substantially L-shaped defining perpendicular longer and shorter legs, said first member including an oflset portion in said shorter leg whereby the shorter leg of said second member may be received adjacent said offset portion overlapped with said shorter leg of said first member, and fastening means received through said longer legs for securing said first and second members adjacent to said door faces whereby said shorter legs underlie said bottom surface, said members being formed ofmetal, sealmeans received between the door and said members, said seal means including a slotted coating receiving said short leg of said first memher.

2. In combination with a door defining a pair of faces and top and bottom surfaces, means for protecting the bottom portion thereof to prevent injury or rotting comprising a first member, a second member, said first and second members being substantially L-shaped defining perpendicular longer and shorter legs, said first member including an offset portion in said shorter leg whereby the shorter leg of said second member may be received adjacent said offset portion, and fastening means received through said longer legs for securing said first and second members adjacent to said door faces whereby said shorter legs underlie said bottom surface, said members being formed of metal, seal means received between the door and said members, said seal means includingan inner Neoprene coating, a first portion of said Neoprene coating being slotted to receive said 'short leg of'said first member, second and third portions of said Neoprene coating retained on the innerside of the longer legs of said members.

3. In combination with a door defining a pair of faces and top and bottom surfaces, means for protecting the bottom portion thereof'to prevent injuryor rotting comprising a first member, a second member, said first and second members being substantially L-shaped defining perpendicular longer and shorter legs, said first member including an offset portion in said shorter leg whereby the shorter leg of said second member may be received adjacent said ,ofiset portion, and fastening means "received through said longer legs for securing said first and second members adjacent to said 'door'faces whereby said shorter legs underlie said bottom surface, 'said members being formed of metal, seal means received betweenthe door and said members, said seal means including an inner Neoprene coating, a first portion of said Neoprene coating being slotted to receive said short legsof said first member, second and third portions of said Neoprene coating retained on the inner side of the longer legs of said members, said longer legs of said'members including upper terminal portions, said upper terminal portions being crimped inwardly.

References Iitedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 670,939 Rapp Apr. 2, 1901 751,435 Ohnstrand Feb. 2, 1904 1,597,166 Meyercord Aug. 24, 1926 2,777,173 Caswall Jan. 15,1957 2,878,534 Josaitis Mar. 24, 1959 

